


The Legalities of Love

by MyJediLife



Category: Star Wars - All Media Types
Genre: Angst, Angst with a Happy Ending, Ben Solo Has Issues, Ben Solo Needs A Hug, Ben Solo is a Mess, Ben is not the bad guy, Domestic Violence, Eventual Fluff, Eventual Happy Ending, Eventual Relationships, Eventual Romance, Eventual Smut, F/M, Heavy Angst, Implied/Referenced Domestic Violence, Mutual Pining, Past Domestic Violence, Rey is a badass, Rey is a lawyer, Slow Burn, SwoloFic, Violence, bazine is a bitch
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-07-21
Updated: 2019-07-21
Packaged: 2020-07-09 20:33:23
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,276
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19893928
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MyJediLife/pseuds/MyJediLife
Summary: Rey Kenobi is a public defender tasked with defending Ben Solo on domestic violence charges... but not is all it seems with him, and his case is definitely unusual. When she gets to know him - Rey finds that there is definitely more to the story of his case - and Ben Solo.





	The Legalities of Love

**Author's Note:**

  * For [House Crylo](https://archiveofourown.org/gifts?recipient=House+Crylo).



> TRIGGER WARNING:
> 
> MIND THE TAGS!
> 
> This is a fic dealing with DOMESTIC VIOLENCE, but a different take on it from what we normally hear about.
> 
> I am a survivor of domestic violence, and I urge you... if you or someone you love is being abused in any way, shape or form in a relationship - DON'T STAY SILENT. Please, talk to someone! You could save someone's life! Domestic, emotional or sexual abuse is never okay, and you should speak out.

[](https://imgur.com/Gxric1x)

Baz was drunk again. It was more common than Ben would like to think about – and it always ended the same. She would accuse him of cheating, she would deck him with whatever was in her hand, or any nearby object, really, and then she’d leave. He knew she was going to Hux’s when she left their apartment. He knew all about their little affair. It was just another twist of the knife in his back, just another nail in the coffin of his life.

They had been together for five years now, and Ben often asked himself why he stayed with her. He tried to tell himself he loved her, that when she was sober she was a wonderful person – but she honestly wasn’t. He had been lying to himself for years. Hell, had he ever seen through her lies and manipulation to see who she truly was deep inside?

“Baz, come on, you’re drunk,” Ben found himself saying as he eyed his girlfriend, wondering when she would come after him this time.

“You’re worthless,” Baz screamed at him, spittle flying from her lips and landing on Ben’s jeans. He reached down and wiped it off before looking up at her, making eye contact. That was apparently enough to set her off, because she launched herself at him, pounding her fists into anything she could; his stomach, chest, ribs – she even got a shot in on his kidney. Her last strike landed on his cheek, and Ben knew he would have a bruise there the next day.

It was a good thing he could work from home. His book sales had been slumping lately, his muses fading with every moment spent in Baz’s company – yet he found he couldn’t leave her. She was the only person who had ever really wanted him. So he stayed.

“You’re a pussy, Solo. A worthless pussy who can’t please a woman. You’re nothing.” Baz clawed at his face viciously, leaving four long scratches on his cheek to match the swollen, bruised skin from her fist assault.

She stood before looking down at him, spitting on his face before uttering, “You’re worthless.”

As she walked out the door, Ben took a deep, shuddering breath, telling himself he wouldn’t cry, even as he sunk to the floor on his knees, tears coating his cheeks. He pulled in shaky breaths over and over, swaying from side to side.

_ I’m not good enough. I am worthless. Why would she want me? I’m nothing. Untalented hack. Ugly, stupid idiot who can’t keep his woman happy. Of course she runs to Hux. He’s able to give her everything I can’t! _

An hour later, Ben crawled into the bedroom, completely spent and almost unable to pull himself into bed to fall into a dreamless sleep.

….

A knock at his door brought him out of his sleep, and as Ben stumbled to the door and opened it, his bleary eyes took in the sight of his mother.

“Oh, Benny,” Leia breathed, moving past him into the apartment. Going to the bathroom, Leia wet a washcloth before coming back to stand before her son, gently swiping at his injured cheek. “When are you going to say enough is enough, Ben? Don’t you realize you can have a better life than this?”

Ben didn’t say anything, tears pooling in his eyes as he let his mother take care of him. In his mind, he was getting what he deserved. He had always been awkward, disregarded and overlooked his entire life. When he had gone to college, he had felt even more alone, even more rejected as his roommates had all been able to hook up easily with anyone they wanted.

Ben was never good with people, though. As the son of a Senator and a pilot, he had been drug to many Black Tie functions in his life, where he had learned the subtle art of blending in and avoiding notice. While he knew his parents loved him – they were busy people, and Ben had always felt lonely and disregarded by them. He had trust issues, and he found it hard to let people in, for fear of rejection. When he had met Bazine, she had shown interest in him, and Ben clung to her, even as he realized she had both anger and substance abuse issues.

Sighing as his mother took several pictures, insisting on him lifting his shirt so that she could examine both the fading and fresh bruises on his torso and arms, Ben finally answered her. “I love her.”

“Ben, this is not love, sweetheart. It’s abuse. You are a brilliant man, you know that? Creative, intelligent and handsome. You have a Master’s Degree, darling. You deserve better.” Leia leveled a gaze at her son, finishing her documentation. “Let me call Amilyn, please. We can have charges filed within the hour for domestic abuse, and I can have her things moved out of your apartment in a half hour.”

“Mom,” Ben said, gripping her hand gently. “Please. Stay out of it.”

“Benjamin, how can I? You’re being  _ beaten _ by your girlfriend! I came over to invite you out for lunch, and I find you like this. How do you expect me to react?” Leia was pacing now, and Ben could see fury in his mother’s eyes.

“Because I am thirty years old, Mother. I can handle my own relationship.” Ben eyed his mother, his head pounding and his heart starting to throb at the same pace in his chest. He could feel the panic rising up, like acid at the back of his throat. All at once, the tide of panic hit him, and Ben crumpled to the floor, sobbing like a child as his mother held him tightly, giving him the rock he needed to cling to.

….

Bazine came home that evening, her brown eyes glittering as she looked at Ben, who was in his office, working on his latest manuscript.

“Ben,” she purred, rounding his desk and running her hands over his shoulders. Ben flinched as soon as she touched him, unconsciously leaning away as Bazine leaned in to plant a kiss on his neck. “Did I do that? I’m sorry, darling,” she said, her fingers reaching out to touch the still sore and red scratches on his face.

“I know,” Ben mumbled, the words coming from his lips without him even giving it thought. Ben knew she wasn’t sorry, just like he knew it would happen again. She was high now, he could tell by the way she was talking.  _ Probably coke, _ he thought idly.  _ That’s Hux’s drug of choice. Hopefully it was on his dime, and not mine. _

Bazine had been trying to convince Ben that they needed to open a joint bank account, but he had been steadfast about his denial. He knew that by giving her access to his money, he would see it quickly depleted on drugs and shopping trips with her friends – friends who had expensive tastes.

“Ben, come on, let’s go into the bedroom and fuck. You suck as a writer, but you do know how to fuck well,” Baz said, leaning in to nibble at his earlobe.

“Not what you said last night, and no. I have a deadline from my editor,” Ben said, not even looking at Baz as she continued to suck at his earlobe gently. At one time in their relationship, he would have had her pinned to their mattress by now, but all he felt currently was revulsion.

Ben felt her pull away, her sneering face headed for the door. “Pathetic - can’t even give me one simple hour with your cock.” The door slammed behind her, and Ben jumped, wondering when the other shoe would inevitably fall.

When he emerged from his office three hours later, Bazine was sitting on the couch, a snifter of whiskey in her hand and her eyes glazed over from the booze and coke. Ben had seen this look before – he knew all too well where this was going to lead.

“How dare you deny me, Ben…” Bazine said from her perch, her eyes glittering with anger. “Armie doesn’t deny me anything.”

Ben felt something inside him snap. He had always had a bad temper, but he thought he had outgrown his tantrums and outbursts. He much preferred to be calm and gentle, and it had taken years of therapy to learn how to control the rages within him.

Until tonight.

“Then go live with Armitage, Bazine. He seems to take care of you – unlike me, which you reminded me of last night. Does he like you punching him?” Ben glared at Bazine, who returned the glare, hatred glittering in the depths of her eyes.

“You pathetic bastard!” She screeched, the heavy glass snifter hurtling through the air towards him. Ben tried to duck at the last moment, but took a solid hit to the left side of his head. Seeing red, he stood at his full height, fists clenched at his sides.

“Get your shit and get the fuck out, Bazine. Now!” Ben said softly, his voice carrying an almost dangerous tone to it.

Bazine launched herself at him, fists flying as she pounded his chest, arms, stomach and face once more. Ben held her as far away as he could, not wanting to harm her, even after everything, and it wasn’t until she aimed a well-placed kick directly to his groin that he let her go, gripping his groin as he toppled to his knees with a groan.

When Ben could think past the pain in his testicles again, he looked up, his eyes wide as he saw Bazine hovering over him, a large knife in her hand.

“You’re such a pussy, Solo! Pathetic! You’ll be nothing without me! No one else is going to want to fuck you – you know that, right? We look good together! I’m not leaving, by the way. Not without you giving me some cash for my trouble.” Bazine’s eyes were wild as she waved the knife around, and as Ben stood, he felt a full rush of anger come to the surface – anger he had kept a lid on for the past five years.

_ Maybe I deserve this. Maybe I should let her cut me, so I can bleed out all this fucking poison. Maybe I am worthless, not capable of being loved… _

Ben’s brain was working a mile a minute as he tried to plan his next move, and then Bazine lunged at him with a bloodcurdling scream, and instinct kicked in. He brought one fist up, landing a solid punch on her jaw and sending her flying backwards. Without giving it any more thought, Ben kicked the knife away, sending it sailing under the end table.

“You… you hit me! You pathetic bastard, you  _ hit _ me! I’m calling the cops!” Bazine was sobbing, holding her jaw, and Ben sat down in his chair to wait.

….

It took the cops ten minutes to get to their apartment, and another ten to talk to both Ben and Bazine. He was shocked when the officer asked him to stand before placing cuffs around his wrists.

“Am… am I being arrested?” Ben asked softly, and the officer nodded, eyeing him cautiously in case Ben made the wrong move.

“Yes, sir, she clearly has bruises, and you admit you hit her.” The officer was calm as he explained his reasoning to Ben, who simply nodded, deciding to say nothing about the lump on his head from where the heavy brandy snifter had hit him.

He was getting what he deserved for hitting a woman.

As the cell doors closed behind him an hour later, after he had been booked into the county jail, Ben sat on the tiny, uncomfortable cot, swaying back and forth slightly, awaiting his fate like a man already condemned.

_ I deserve this. I’m not good enough. Never have been. Never will be. Que sera, sera. _

….

Rey Kenobi was one of the youngest Public Defenders in the state. Six months out of law school, she was already gaining a reputation for being tenacious, and her record in the courtroom showed as such. As she stepped into her office Monday morning, her paralegal smiled up at her, handing her a cup of coffee.

“New case came over for you. Domestic violence. You might recognize his last name – Benjamin Solo?” The woman handed her a manila file folder with papers in it, and Rey flipped through them, stopping to look at the booking photo of a handsome, dark-haired man with sad eyes.

_ Yeah, sad because he beat up his girlfriend and got busted for it, _ Rey thought to herself. 

Running his name through her head, Rey finally shook her head in response, not coming up with any familiarity with the surname. “Sorry, I don’t.”

“Oh,” Kaydel said softly. “His mother is Leia Organa-Solo, the Senator representing our district.”

Rey recognized that name, of course. Leia Organa was known for being tough, yet fair, and she was extremely popular with her constituents. Raising an eyebrow, Rey thought out loud, “And he is using a public defender, why?”

Kaydel shrugged before turning back to her computer. “No idea, but I suppose he’s your client now. I hope you get the answer to that from him.”

As Rey stepped into her office, she set the folder on her desk, along with her coffee before putting her briefcase on the floor. Pursing her lips, she opened the folder again, staring at the handsome face of Ben Solo as she took a long swallow of her drink before remarking, “So, what’s your story, Benjamin Solo?”


End file.
